- Totally agree—sometimes a fresh coat of paint and swapping hardware is all you need.
- I’ve actually reused my old cabinet boxes twice now, just changed up the fronts and pulls. Way easier than living in a construction zone for months.
- Those 90s brass pulls? Weirdly satisfying to see them back, but I’m still not sure they work with every style... depends on the vibe you’re going for.
- Honestly, half the fun is getting creative with what you already have instead of gutting everything. It’s less wasteful too.
- Swapping out hardware is such a game changer—did a project last year where we kept the original cabinets, just painted them and added matte black pulls. The whole space felt brand new.
- I’m with you on the 90s brass... sometimes it’s a hit, sometimes it just looks dated. Depends on the lighting and the rest of the finishes, honestly.
- Love the idea of reusing what you’ve got. Not only is it less waste, but it’s way less stressful than a full gut job. Plus, you get to brag about your DIY skills.
Totally agree, swapping out hardware is such a low-effort, high-impact move. I did the same thing—painted the cabinets (took way longer than I thought, not gonna lie) and put on brushed nickel pulls. It’s wild how much it changes the vibe for like, under $100. I’m still on the fence about brass though... tried some brass handles and they just clashed with my countertops. Maybe it’s a lighting thing, or maybe my kitchen just isn’t meant for that 90s comeback.
Reusing what you’ve got is honestly underrated. Full demo sounds fun until you’re living with no sink for a week and your budget’s evaporated. Plus, there’s something satisfying about making old stuff look new again. I’d rather spend the extra cash on better appliances or lighting than ripping out perfectly good cabinets. Sometimes all it takes is a little paint and patience (and a lot of sanding).
Yeah, I hear you on the brass. I tried to force it in my last place—thought I could make it work with my granite counters, but it just looked...off. Ended up swapping back to matte black and suddenly everything felt way more pulled together. Full demo is overrated unless your cabinets are actually falling apart. I’d rather deal with sanding dust than a month of takeout and washing dishes in the bathtub.
Matte black hardware really does seem to tie things together, especially with granite. I get what you mean about brass—sometimes it just clashes, no matter how much you want it to work. I’ve been through the whole “should I gut it or just refresh?” debate myself. In my 1920s kitchen, the original cabinets are solid wood but the finish was shot. I ended up doing a full sand, prime, and repaint (oil-based for durability), swapped out the old pulls for aged bronze, and honestly, it felt like a brand new space without losing the character.
Curious—did you do anything to the cabinet faces themselves, or just swap hardware? I’ve found that even just a deep clean and some new hinges can make a huge difference, especially in older homes where the patina is part of the charm. Sometimes I wonder if people underestimate what a few targeted updates can do before jumping into a full reno...
